Many will complain about the coaching staff, but the bottom line is that the Kings don't have the high-end talent required to be a contender.

LeBrun thinks the Kings go after Richards:

Quote:

• Look for the Kings to be a serious player in the Brad Richards sweepstakes July 1. The New York Rangers are the likely front-runners for the unrestricted free-agent star center and the Toronto Maple Leafs will throw a ton of money at him, but the Kings will definitely take a shot at it, a source told ESPN.com.

Richards, by the way, met with Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk this past week, but there is really nothing new to report there. With the Stars' ownership landscape still unclear, it appears more likely Richards will hit the market. The Stars would certainly remain among the teams he would consider even past June 30.

I'm skeptical that Dean will make a serious play for Richards, but if he does, salary will have to be moved. The CAP is expected to be about 62M next year...

As for our RFAs, Doughty is obviously the big question mark. I've said all along that he'll get less than anyone expects. Based on the way he's played, he doesn't deserve anything more than 4.X million.

Nose of Sutter

04-26-2011 12:05 AM

Trade Greene for picks
Fire Kompon
Go after Richards

Telos

04-26-2011 12:05 AM

I don't see Richards being a serious option.

CowMix

04-26-2011 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimmondsSensation
(Post 32670808)

Trade Stoll and Greene for some picks
Fire Kompon
Go after Richards

Can we have Visnovsky back :(

Muzzinga

04-26-2011 12:08 AM

The youngsters will naturally step in to replace the vets, Schenn in at #2 with Stoll #3 as the centre. Just have to 100% get that top flight winger, thats it. Getting Richards would be huge and makes the kings a cup contender from the get go

As far as Richards goes: Gaborik and Kovalchuk should tell you all you need to know.

FrozenKing18

04-26-2011 12:08 AM

Clear some cap. Once again get a LW goal scorer. Don't trade Stoll.

DAkings20

04-26-2011 12:09 AM

Richards ain't coming to LA, it'll be all talk and no action like usual.

Kings have some things to figure out, they need more speed and obviously more offense.

TM and Kompon shouldn't be coaching this team next season but we all know they will be.

Ron

04-26-2011 12:09 AM

Roster thoughts for the 2011-2012 Season

First of all, I think I am going to finally break down for season tickets (after 44 years of being a fan, I feel I owe it to myself).

My thoughts for next season are the same as my thoughts for this season were. We need scoring. We tried, but Kovu (or his wife) decided New Jersey was nicer than Los Angeles. With that kind of brain power, probably didn't need him anyway.

Our anemic power play crystallized into a 5-minute fail at the end of this game, and it was fitting, to say the least. This also goes to scoring, but something needs to be done to put some fire into it. A Stanley Cup winner will not come from a team that ranks in the bottom third in the power play in this league.

The West is tough, but so are the Kings. Their defense is one of the best in the league, and if they don't lose their heads (as they did in games 3 and 4 in this series), they can shut anyone down.

The goaltending tandem has the real possibility of being no. 1 in the league next year, and I liked how Bernier got in a lot of playing time, not just sitting like other no. 2s. I see no reason to change our situation there.

With Kopi back, I am hoping for a better seed and a much deeper run this year. Next year, the team cannot have these big losing runs as they did (at least a couple, as I recall). They have to play much more consistent to make a run for the cup.

Those are my thoughts. I am disappointed yes, but once we lost Kopi, I thought we lost a lot of our spirit, but the team played better than I expected in this playoff series.

Everyone have a great offseason and I am banking on much better results next season!

markisonfire

04-26-2011 12:10 AM

I really doubt the Kings go after Richards. The Kings offseason gameplan looks like it has the past couple years. Let the farm battle it out. The Kings have some a pretty good lineup next year.

Not to mention Schenn, Loktionov, Toffoli, Voynov, Hickey, etc. expected to make a push.

I think that having Smyth and Penner as our top two left wings is a terrible idea, by the way. Penner needs to lose some mass and get quicker so he isn't laboring so much. Maybe a summer spent in LA with our fitness coaches will do him some good.

DAkings20

04-26-2011 12:11 AM

Also DD will get his big contract but he needs to mature and be committed all offseason.

Most importantly Kopi needs to get 100% healthy.

Ollie Weeks

04-26-2011 12:14 AM

Our young guys showed what them getting better can do for the team during the course of this series. That, above all else, has to occur, as Lombardi enjoys repeating.

Beyond that, I'd like to see DL explore free agency, but with Penner and possibly Schenn in the fold, I think we're good to go with what we've got.

bobafettish*

04-26-2011 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mully12
(Post 32670958)

So we need to trade for someone who can win a faceoff, but you want to trade our best faceoff man... Riiiiight. Stoll is a great 3rd line center, and honestly greene is a good defender who made some boneheaded plays in the last few games of this series. So by your logic, we should trade Kopi too cause now he's injury prone. TM probably won't be fired, Kompon needs to be. We need to lure Brad Richards in, he's seen enough of us that maybe he can see we're an up and coming team that will contend for years. Get off the ledge bro, we weren't even supposed to win a game this series and we played our hearts out and witha few bounces and some maturity we this series could've been the other way around.

i think we only get something that fits are teams needs if we package those two players. Stoll is an excellent third line center but he makes 2 line money.

thalegion

04-26-2011 12:15 AM

I can cheer for LA again!!!!

Stay the course IMO, LA is in a position where they have superb depth bubbling underneath the pro team.

Penner will play better next season guaranteed I will go ahead and say he will pot 35 goals.

Healthy Kopitar

Schenn will break into the league in a big way ALA Couture

I respect the hell out of the Kings organization because of the way they are building, it is a beautiful thing IMO

William H Bonney

04-26-2011 12:15 AM

- Let Zus walk.
- Whatever, if any, free agent forwards we pursue need to have some speed.
- Have all the team centers dedicate extra off-season/training camp work on face-offs. Make it a priority.

Mully12

04-26-2011 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobafettish
(Post 32671111)

i think we only get something that fits are teams needs if we package those two players. Stoll is an excellent third line center but he makes 2 line money.

Maybe, but we lose our best faceoff man if we lose Stoll, so unless we package greene and Stoll for a 1B center, and then pick up a defender who can hit like greene (how he hit most the season, not how he hit when he took stupid penalties) I don't see the risk of packaging those 2 guys.

GKJ

04-26-2011 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telos
(Post 32670821)

I don't see Richards being a serious option.

With Torts being re-signed by the Rangers, it sounds like you can pencil in Brad Richards as the Rangers #1 center next year.

Muzzinga

04-26-2011 12:18 AM

the Kings were the 2nd youngest team in the league to start last year, so they will for sure be better again next year. Quick and Bernier get a year better, Doughty, JJ and Amart if he remains in the lineup all get a year better. Clifford, Richardson and Simmonds showed they can do it all and will be another year better. Lewis will be better next year as a top defensive forward who will also get in on the scoring.

Just like last year, even if the kings stand pat in the off season, this team will do well again next year

DAkings20

04-26-2011 12:18 AM

Who wants to bet Drew's contract is announced on July 1st when Deano strikes out?

The Black1963

04-26-2011 12:19 AM

Schenn has to be part of the kings next year imo.

I'm so sick and tired of how he HAS to prove himself down in ahl or develop more down there. That's just utter nonsense. The kid is ready. Let the kid play!!!

bobafettish*

04-26-2011 12:20 AM

> 7million :cry:

KopitarFAN

04-26-2011 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAkings20
(Post 32671188)

Who wants to bet Drew's contract is announced on July 1st when Deano strikes out?

After Richards, the FA class is pretty bleak. So I don't know if "strike out" is the right phrase.

bobafettish*

04-26-2011 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KopitarFAN
(Post 32671229)

After Richards, the FA class is pretty bleak. So I don't know if "strike out" is the right phrase.

dont worry Dean will still find a way to "strike out" :laugh:

GKJ

04-26-2011 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RH63
(Post 32671200)

Schenn has to be part of the kings next year imo.

I'm so sick and tired of how he HAS to prove himself down in ahl or develop more down there. That's just utter nonsense. The kid is ready. Let the kid play!!!

It's not like first year pros never succeed either.

Any big move is going to have to be by trade. Unless Alex Tanguay excites you.